Next up, a strip to the always dangerous south coast club, Brighton and Hove Albion.

The Seagulls, led by manager Fabian Hurzeler, are 2-1-1 in the Premier LEague this season, currently in fifth place on the league table with seven points. Their only league loss was a 4-3 defeat to Chelsea on August 30th.

With that said, Mikel Arteta will start his best available XI on Saturday in American Express Stadium…

[4-3-2-1]

Havertz

Tzolis, Saka

Rice, Odegaard, Guimaraes

Calafiori, Gabriel, Konsa, Timber

Raya

Predicted final score: Brighton and Hove Albion 1 – ARSENAL 2

COYG!

Gunner1953

So why has his involvement sometimes been limited so far this season?

After Arsenal’s first 7 matches, the striker has made 4 appearances for a total of 173 minutes played. He is yet to score a goal this season.

The first answer is tactical. Mikel Arteta has never treated the centre-forward position as a simple case of picking the biggest goalscorer and building everything around him. Arsenal’s attack demands pressing, combination play and intelligent movement, and different opponents can require different profiles.

There is also the question of game style. Gyökeres is particularly dangerous when defenders have space behind them. The Premier League itself highlighted how his pace and direct running can become especially threatening against tiring, higher defensive lines.

That can make him a devastating weapon later in matches, rather than necessarily the automatic answer from the first whistle. Kai Havertz has seemed to have won that role so far.

But there is another important point. Last season Viktor scored 14 Premier League goals, finishing as Arsenal’s leading league scorer as they won the Premier League title. The interesting question, then, is not whether Gyökeres can play for Arsenal., the question is how much will he play?

His playing time will be determined by how Arteta intends to use his particular strengths within an attack that already has several ways of hurting opponents.

Time will tell for the Swede.

Cheers.

Gunner1953

Bruno Guimaraes scored the his first goal as an Arsenal player coming off the bench, then Bukayo Saka banged home a penalty kick as time expired to secure a 2-0 win over Granit Xhaka and his Black Cats. Hats off to David Raya for stopping a crucial Sunderland penalty kick that turned the momentum back to the Gunners just before Guimaraes’s goal.

Next up, Arsenal head to Ipswich town for a 3rd Round match-up in the Carabao Cup.

The Gunners have won their first six matches of the season, giving up only one goal, with five clean sheets.

With that said, here is my predicted starting XI on Tuesday for Mikel Arteta at Portman Road…

[4-3-3]

Madueke, Gyokeres, Dowman

Merino, Eze, Zubimendi

Calafiori, Hincapie, Salmon, Timber

Kepa

Predicted final score: Ipswich Town 1 – ARSENAL 3

COYG!

Gunner1953

The Gunners are currently one of the hottest clubs in Europe, winning their first four matches by a combined score of 10-1. On the other side, the Black Cats are 1-1-1 in the Premier League, with their only win has been against league newcomers Hull City.

Sunderland’s manager, Regis Le Bris, has former Arsenal captain Granit Xhaka leading his club on the pitch.

With that said, here is my predicted starting XI for Mikel Arteta on Saturday…

[4-3-3]

Tzolis, Havertz, Saka

Rice, Odegaard, Guimaraes

Calafiori, Gabriel, Konsa, White

Raya

Predicted final score: Sunderland 0 – ARSENAL 3

COYG!

Gunner1953

Here’s what Mikel Arteta said after the match, “I thought it was an exceptional performance. I enjoyed every minute from beginning to end. The beginning was tough, but I enjoyed it because the team reacted in a spectacular way. It was beautiful.”

Well said boss. Chelsea is a relative new squad, which came into Sunday with a perfect 2-0-0 record in the Premier League. Even though Xabi Alonzo’s squad opened strong with a quick goal from Morgan Rogers, they soon lost control of the ball and the game. The Gunners showed their resilience and determination in route to producing a very good 2-1 win.

Next up is Arsenal’s Champions League opener away against the defending Serie A champions Napoli in the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

Napoli’s manager, Massimiliano Allegri, again has a very strong team even though they have gotten off to a slow Serie A start with only one win in three matches. The Italian club is also the current home for Arsenal nemesis Kevin De Bruyne.

With that said, we should expect Mikel Arteta to shake-up his starting XI a little for this League Phase kick-off match in order to give a few regulars a quick rest…

[4-3-3]

Eze, Gyokeres, Saka

Rice, Havertz, Guimaraes

Hincapie, Gabriel, Konsa, White

Raya

Predicted final score: Napoli 0 – ARSENAL 2

COYG!

Gunner1953

Now, to the huge Arsenal v Chelsea match on Sunday.

This will be a London derby that will knowingly ignite the 60,000+ Arsenal faithful in Emirates Stadium. Chelsea comes in unbeaten or untied in the Premier League after two matches, but so are the Gunners, who have not allowed a single goal after two matches.

Jurrien Timber and William Saliba remain on the injured list, but Bruno Guimaraes will be back in the starting XI.

With that said, here is my predicted starting XI for Mikel Arteta on the weekend…

[4-3-3]

Tzolis, Gyokeres, Saka

Rice, Odegaard, Lewis-Skelly

Calafiori, Gabriel, Konsa, White

Raya

Predicted final score: ARSENAL 2 – Chelsea 1

COYG!

Gunner1953